Vedanta doubles South Africa zinc capacity with $600 million investment

The expansion is part of Vedanta’s plan to raise annual zinc production across India and South Africa to 3 million tonnes, with 2 MT targeted from subsidiary Hindustan Zinc and 1 MT from Vedanta Zinc International.

NEW DELHI: Vedanta Limited has doubled its annual zinc production capacity in South Africa to 5 lakh tonnes with an investment of nearly $600 million at its Gamsberg mine, the company said on Sunday.South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Vedanta director Priya Agarwal-Hebbar inaugurated the expanded capacity at Gamsberg Phase II in the Northern Cape province.The expansion is part of Vedanta’s plan to raise annual zinc production across India and South Africa to 3 million tonnes, with 2 MT targeted from subsidiary Hindustan Zinc and 1 MT from Vedanta Zinc International.The company said Ramaphosa welcomed its ambition to establish zinc smelting capacity in the Northern Cape, which could help develop the region into a zinc and industrial hub.The investment forms part of Vedanta’s ZAR 21 billion (nearly $1.5 billion) commitment made at the 2018 South Africa Investment Conference.Vedanta also said that it has invested nearly $20 million in community initiatives in South Africa since acquiring Vedanta Zinc International in 2011. These initiatives benefit more than 32,000 people annually.